photo provided

10K Female Winner Sandy O’Keefe

photo provided

10K Male Winner Jonathan Eggert

Law student Jonathan Eggert found the new Flowertown Festival Run course to his liking.

Eggert, a 26-year-old student at the Charleston School of Law who is originally from Greer, won the 2011 Flowertown Festival 10K race Saturday, finishing in 35 minutes and 32 seconds. Since the course was changed for this year’s race, his time is a new course record.

“I like to run this race because it is a good tune up for the Bridge Run,” Eggert said. “Last year I was doing well in it, but I made a wrong turn and went about a half mile in the wrong direction before I figured out I was off course. The course was easier to follow this year. There were plenty of signs and I didn’t have any trouble finding the biker who led the way. There was a longer run up hill at the end, but I like this course better.”

Tyler Cross, 27, also of Charleston, placed second with a 36:58 time and Charlestonian Michael Seeking, 51, placed third with a 37:32 time.

Eggert finished the Bridge Run in less than 34 minutes last year so he feels he could have run a better race Saturday, but he said is happy with the win.

 “I could do better, but I was probably in better shaper last year,” he said. “I don’t like running as much when it is this cool and I forgot my watch so I tried to pace myself by the guy in front of me. I stuck with him the first half of the race and then pulled away from him a bit. But he made up some ground and finished pretty close behind.”

Greer, who is on track to take the Bar in July, said he didn’t participate in distance races until three years ago. He was a soccer player in high school and during his first year at USC, where he got his undergraduate degree. When he stopped playing competitive soccer, he took up running to stay in shape.

Sandy O’Keefe of Summerville was the first female to cross the finish line. The 32-year-old finished in 44:02 to edge out Ashley Crapps, 28, of Mt. Pleasant. Crapps finished in 44:13. Summerville’s Jennifer Kryzanowsk, 23, finished in 44:33 to place third in the Overall Female division.

Summerville’s Vmi Brinkley finished in 37:47 to win the Male Masters Overall division. Summerville’s Marcie Robinson finished in 49:12 to win the Female Masters Overall division.

The event is sponsored by the Summerville YMCA and Y officials say more than 1,100 people participated in this year’s 10K, 5K and One-mile Fun Run. That sets a record for participation.

A pair of runners from Columbia took top honors in the 5K race. Eric Ashton, 43, won the race with a 15:43 time to win the Male Overall division. Tom Mather, 53, of Charleston finished in 17:07 to place second and Summerville’s Irv Batten, 47, finished in 17:16 to place third.

Kathryn Ashton, 29, finished in 18:46 to win the Female Overall division. Elizabeth Turner, 27, of Mt. Pleasant finished in 21:36 to place second and Colleen White, 23, finished in 22:20 to place third.

Summerville’s Inga Sullivan finished in 22:21 to win the Female Overall Masters division and Kevin Kelley of Hartsville finished in 17:51 to claim the Male Overall Masters title.

A complete list of age group winners can be found at www.journalscene.com.

Contact Roger Lee @ 873-9424 ext. 213 or rlee@journalscene.com.

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